Pahrump Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Bicycle riders in Nevada have the same right to be on the road as any motor vehicle. Unfortunately, many motorists neglect to share the road with bicycles, with some drivers even acting aggressively to avoid or overtake them. Other drivers are distracted and fail to see a bicyclist before it is too late.
With more and more people riding bicycles to work every day, taking their families out for bicycle rides on the weekends, and biking as a form of exercise, bicycle accidents have become a very real danger.
If you were hit by a negligent driver while riding your bicycle, you could be entitled to financial compensation with the help of a skilled personal injury attorney. A Pahrump bicycle accident lawyer can inform you of your legal rights and fight zealously to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents
Nearly one-third of all bike accidents happen when a motor vehicle hits a bicycle. To receive compensation for a bicycle accident in Nevada, the bicyclist must show that the driver’s negligence caused the collision. Many negligent bike accidents involve drivers who:
- Make right or left turns without checking their blind spots
- Rear-end bicyclists due to distracted driving or after failing to see the bicyclist’s hand signals, reflective gear, etc.
- Drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Open their car door before checking for oncoming bicyclists
If someone believes the driver who hit them was careless, a Pahrump bike accident attorney can help get the compensation the cyclist deserves to pay for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Bicycle Laws in Nevada
When traveling together on Nevada’s roads, both motorists and bicyclists have certain responsibilities and specific rules they must follow in order to avoid accidents. Even though bicycles are not motor vehicles, bicyclists still have a responsibility to follow the rules of the road. According to the Nevada Revised Statutes, bicyclists must:
- Travel on the right side of the road, unless they are turning left
- Obey all traffic signs
- Use proper hand signals when stopping or turning
- Wear proper reflective gear and equip their bikes with certain lights and reflectors in dark conditions
Similarly, motorists have a responsibility to respect bicyclists and exercise proper caution around them by:
- Passing to the left of a bicycle when possible, or passing to the right with three feet of clearance
- Staying out of designated bicycle lanes
- Yielding to bicyclists at intersections the same way they would another vehicle
- Taking extra care around children on bikes
A bicycle accident attorney in Pahrump will examine the details of the case closely and determine who caused the bicycle accident.
Contacting a Pahrump Bicycle Accident Lawyer
When a large vehicle hits a bicycle, the results can be tragic. Bicyclists do not have the benefit of airbags, seatbelts, or any of the other safety features of a car. As a result, even collisions at relatively low speeds can cause serious and disabling injuries to the cyclist.
Injured in a bicycle accident in Pahrump? An experienced attorney can help you recover damages so that you can get your life back on track.